Don't let a troll eat your nickname!
It's so exciting to meet new friends and, in the online world, we get almost limitless opportunities to establish friendships, meet people with the same hobbies as us and even strike up a romance. A good nickname can make it much easier and, likewise, an unsuccessfully chosen one might make things harder for you. Your nickname is often the first thing somebody learns about you online and you want it to show your best side!
However, online relationships, just as in real life, don't always go smoothly and sometimes you might run into people who take pleasure in making fun of others. For them, often known as internet trolls, anything is good enough to embarrass or anger others, and a nickname can be one of those things. Don't let that scare you – there's a number of ways how to protect yourself and your online identity!
So, if you find yourself in a situation where somebody is using your nickname against you, making fun of it or even claiming it as their own, just follow these simple steps:
- Don't stay silent! A bully is always afraid of those who can speak up and defend themselves. Object their actions and cut them in the bud!
- Don't be alone! There is always somebody who can help and protect you, like a forum manager or a site administrator, who will be able to enforce anti-bullying actions against the culprit, sometimes even banning them from using the site altogether. There is no shame in asking for help!
- Don't be invisible! A great way to protect your nickname and make it more visible to your community is to register it. A troll won't be able to claim your identity as their own, if your nickname is officially certified and you can really prove it's yours!
We're sure that these tips will help you to have a great time wherever you go whilst protecting your unique nickname at the same time. Maybe you've got more great ideas on your mind? Feel free to drop us a line and tell us your nickname experience!
